The Y. M. C. A. boys of Cliffwood;

“And say, wouldn’t you like to see Farmer Hasty in the morning when he rubs his eyes and stares up at his wagon, all taken apart, and strung along the ridge-pole of his barn roof?”

For a brief interval after Nat had so triumphantly announced his grand scheme for frightening Old Deacon Nocker the other boys were still. Apparently, every one was digesting th...

At first sight it appeared as though Deacon Nocker was a badly frightened man, especially when a mysterious and solemn voice sounding very creepy, and coming from overhead, was...

“Glad to see you, Harry. I suppose you are on your way to the mills, for since you decided to act as assistant to your good father, instead of going another two years to college...

Two days after the Hallowe’en episode, Dick Horner, walking along the main street of Cliffwood, stopped to look in at the window of the sporting goods establishment. The display...

“After all it isn’t so very strange,” explained the other. “My mother once knew a Matilda Smith, and corresponded with her for some years. She married and was Tilly’s mother, it...

When the great news concerning the boys of Cliffwood had circulated around town during the next few days it created no end of talk. Everywhere it caused the most intense excitem...

Along about a quarter to eight on the evening of the following day a number of eager lads might have been seen making their way in the direction of the central part of town.

Dick could see Mr. Holwell’s lips form this word, but his voice was utterly unable to rise above the horrible din produced by the three hoarse sirens blown in company, with migh...

Neither of them seemed to think of turning and running away. Perhaps it was not in their natures to flee from such a visible danger as now confronted them; for a boy has a pecul...

Two more meetings had been held in the big room of the Y. M. C. A. building, and fully thirty boys’ names were on the roll of the new Junior Department. Some of these fellows be...

“When we get to the corner of the fence where you can see the windows of the old Brandon house, I’m to wave my handkerchief. She’s to be looking, or have Billy do the same, and...

“Shake hands on it, Dick,” said Leslie; “you’ve got the old curmudgeon to swallow the bait all right, and he’s hooked as fast as anything. All you need to do now is to pull the...

Upon reaching home that afternoon Dick found that his mother had an errand she wanted him to do. This was to take his old wheel and ride out a mile or so into the country, to ge...

Leslie Capes, coming around the corner of the house just then, gaped in sheer amazement at the remarkable picture before him. And when he saw Dick’s sweet little mother, after g...

“How are you coming on with your farce, Dick?” asked Mr. Holwell, the next evening, as he stepped in at the Y. M. C. A. building to see how the boys were coming on, and also to...

It was a hard thing for Leslie to keep away from the Horner home these days. He had much in common with Dick to talk over, what with the progress of the black-face farce; the wo...

Somehow neither of them seemed to give one thought to the old deacon. Indeed, possibly in all Cliffwood there could hardly have been found a single boy who would have cared a sn...

Just how they made their way up those stairs Leslie never could tell. The first thing he knew he found himself on the upper landing, and facing a sheet of flames that made the w...

A delay of five minutes might have imperiled their chances for escape. And on that account, Dick was glad to see some of the firemen rushing a ladder straight toward the window,...

When Mrs. Nocker said this, both the boys fastened their eyes on the old deacon, knowing what a severe shock the news must be to him. He stared hard at the young woman as though...

“Just what I am, Dick,” replied the other, in a joyous fashion. “Tonight our new circulating library is going to be open to members for the first time. You know I was elected ch...

Dick braced himself. Not for worlds did he want these chums of his to see how badly he felt at hearing such lavish praise for the effort of his foremost rival. He wanted that go...

The lecture was a huge success. Those who were fortunate enough to be present gave a vote of thanks to the committee that had been energetic enough to procure the services of th...

“Get busy!” roared Dick, who had been holding himself in readiness for just such an emergency from the moment he had heard the reckless skater announce his intention of skimming...

Promptly at two o’clock Dick made his appearance at the Capes’ barn. Leslie had been given the man’s room, which was vacant, to fit up for a den. As most boys delight to do, he...

“Here’s a letter for Grandpop Horner, Dick. The postman met me at the corner, and I guess he must have known I was headed for your house because he just handed it over and asked...

As the evening set in Dick felt his gloomy fears increase rather than diminish. It was strange, too, because as a general thing the boy had always been of a cheery disposition,...

“Hello! there! Merry Christmas to you, Dick, old chum!” exclaimed Leslie, as he pushed in through the door as soon as it was opened. “Here’s a little something I know you’ve bee...

Every fellow who belonged to the Boys’ Department of the prosperous Y. M. C. A., as well as many of the girls, were on the tiptoe of excitement. While the vast majority of them...

When the two weeks had elapsed, the town hall was crowded to its utmost capacity with one of the finest audiences that had ever been seen in Cliffwood. Of course, Uncle Silas, G...